


Crimson Dreams

by cruciferae



Category: Naruto
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Depression, Drug Abuse, Drug Addiction, Drug Use, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Relationships, F/M, Fix-It, Gen, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Overdosing, Possible Character Redemption, Pre-Canon, Reincarnation, Slow Burn, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2019-09-02 01:22:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16776793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cruciferae/pseuds/cruciferae
Summary: The world I’m currently living in is dark. It is unforgiving, harsh, cold. I wasn’t always here, you know. I lived, I died, and I ended up in another hellhole with my slowly deteriorating sanity.





	Crimson Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> Yet another OC-insert in Konoha. This one is less cheerful and carefree, though. 
> 
> Expect a slow start, very slow plot development and even slower updates.

“—the company and major shareholders are required to—”

Erin lets out a small sigh and looks around the room as her manager drones on. Her fingers run through a long red ponytail before getting caught in a snare.

_It_ **_has_** _been a few weeks since_ , she decides, as she works through the tangle. _So I need to get my nails done again_. _In grey, this time_. _The dreary weather demands it_. _My mood, too_. _Dratted daddy dearest, I hope you burn in your sleep_.

“—summary, I hope you’re writing this down—”

Erin accidentally catches Nora’s eyes, and makes a face before Nora mouths at her to pay attention.

“—adjourned. Good luck.”

Too late.

* * *

She barely remembers any of the actual information from the meeting, but she can get it from someone else later. It shouldn’t be too hard to figure out what the conference was about, anyway.

The company hasn’t been doing particularly well lately, so the manager must have had a few meetings with the higher ups to discuss how the company was going to get out of it’s funk. So many of her coworkers and friends have been getting laid off, and there was even one who was unceremoniously fired.

There was so much yelling and cursing that day.

* * *

_“I’ve worked here for eight f_ — _ing years! How come I’m the one being f_ — _ing fired when there’s worse workers than me?! What the f_ — _ing f_ — _do you think you’re doing?”_

_“We’re so sorry to be cutting you off, sir_ —”

_“Yeah, that’s f_ — _ing right you are! Eight years! Nobody_ — _”_

* * *

_“_ — _wife? WHERE’S MY GODDAMN WIFE?”_

_“Stop yelling! The neighbors are gonna call the cops! And she’s_ — _”_

_“Where’s your mother, huh?”_

_“As I was_ _**saying** , she’s with a friend_— _”_

_“You little_ — _YOU THINK YOU CAN TALK TO ME LIKE THAT?”_

_“Calm down! You drank too much again! Did you_ **_drive_** _home like_ — _”_

_“DO YOU THINK_ — _”_

_Erin ducks._

_“_ — _YOU CAN_ **_TALK TO ME LIKE THAT_** _?”_

_And glass shatters._

* * *

“Erin, y’alright?” Nora asks, “You’ve been jus’ starin’ at the wall fer a while, hon. Nothin’ interestin’ t’ see there.”

Erin flinches, not realizing someone was there and that she’d been immobile for a bit, sighs again, and nods, “Yeah, sorry. Just got a lot going on up here.”

She taps her temple twice for emphasis and starts picking up her materials.

“’S why ya look much like a zombie, then?” Nora (her mothering nature makes her sometimes too nosy for her own good) inquires. She doesn’t look very impressed, too. “Hows’bout ya get yerself more rest? Yer ’bout swayin’ on yer feet ev’ryday nowadays.”

“I know, I know. I know, I just—,” Erin grimaces.

She’s still shaken from her memories. While she’s never actually been hit before, and it’s not the first time, it is still terrifying to see anything flung towards her. And it’s only getting worse.

“’S okay, hon. I heard ’bout yer sister.” Nora says and smiles gently at Erin. “If yer needin’ help or anythin’, I’ll do my best, ya hear?”

Nora pats her shoulder and leaves.

* * *

Oh.

Her sister.

Erin closes her eyes.

Breathes.

_In, two, three, four, and out, two, three, four._

_In, and out._

* * *

_In and out, just like Mara and her trips to the hospital_ , Erin thinks bitterly. _Just figures that she doesn’t even bother coming home. Hospital visits are the only way to keep in contact._

_What happened to us? We’re not even family anymore. Dad’s a drunk, Mara’s a junkie, and Mum is… tired. Somehow we’ve all become strangers._

_It’s not my fault._

_It’s_ _**not**. _

_(It is.)_

* * *

Erin’s always angry these days.

She’s furious at her father for being a terrible man, and enraged at her sister for throwing her life so carelessly away.

But it’s not like she can do anything about either of them, because she can barely deal with herself. She’d landed in the hospital about three and a half years ago and was finally given the all-clear six months later. During her hospital stay, the family visited every single day, bringing all the things she liked.

And Mara ended up in a room two floors up.

There was an accident, Mara’s dealer mixed two orders and nearly overdosed her customer. It was a close call.

Mara ended up grounded for three months. She might have been 23, but living under Mum and Dad’s roof meant listening to their rules.

_And it’s not like their rules are hard to remember, either_ , Erin muses as she slowly makes her way out of the building to get to her car. “ _Don’t be an idiot!” is the main one. Turns out Dad’s a hypocrite, but who’s going to tell him? Not me, not Mum, not his own mother. He’s just not listening to any of us anymore. He's passed that particular trait on to both of his children, too._

_Hilarious._

* * *

“Erin! Erin! Erin, Erin, Erin, Erin!” is a greeting from an entirely too enthusiastic Jason. He’s the mascot for their team, big hazel eyes and blinding smile. “Erin! It happened! Oh my god, I did it! I thought I was gonna barf—but I totally did it!”

_His enthusiasm is a surprisingly effective mood raiser, considering I usually can’t stand too much optimism…_ Erin smiles slightly, _everyone already knows the answer, but I might as well make him say it_ , and asks, “Oh? And what was the reply?”

“Oh my _god_ , she said yes!” Jason sounds like he’s been holding that in for a while. “She said _yes_! Have you seen her? She’s too good for me—we’re going next week!”

He continues on that tangent, Erin’s smile becoming noticeably forced. She wants to listen to him, wants to congratulate him, but—

_I’m jealous._

_Well, that’s not new at all._

_James used to be like that until_ —

“—okay?” Jason’s concerned face comes into focus. “You’re crying.”

Erin touches her face and sees that her fingers are slightly wet. “I’m fine.”

“You sure? Nora thinks you should go home early, and the bossman won’t care. You clocked in at least 10 overtime hours this week—”

And Erin cuts him off, “I said I’m _fine_.”

Jason eyes her dubiously, but allows her lie and leaves her be.

* * *

_James._

_Now_ **_that’s_** _someone I haven’t thought about in a while,_ Erin grumbles quietly.

_He was just like Jason._

**Author's Note:**

> So, no reincarnation yet. 
> 
> Next chapter, I hope.
> 
> (Fingers crossed, yikes.)


End file.
